A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a service sink system which can be rapidly changed into an apparatus for washing harmful and/or hazardous substances from the body. The system is also designed to prevent contamination of the potable water system by unwanted back flow of non-potable water through the emergency washing apparatus. The service sink environment of this invention is typified by a low sink used by cleaning personnel to wash mops, fill cleaning buckets, and the like. Such sinks usually have faucets arranged above the sink that are a source of hot and cold water used by cleaning personnel. The emergency washing apparatus of this invention is connected to such a faucet.
B. Description of the Related Art
Emergency washing devices are generally known in the art for emergency flushing of hazardous and/or irritating substances from human skin and/or eyes. Some typical arrangements for such devices are described below. None are adapted for use with a service sink faucet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,829 discloses an emergency eyewash fountain apparatus which can be attached to a common sink faucet or laboratory faucet without disturbing its normal use. However, to adjust flow through the emergency eyewash, the user, who is usually blinded by contaminants, must rotate the eyewash spray heads, either horizontally or vertically into a certain position before cleansing water will flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,924 discloses an emergency eyewash apparatus which maybe attached to the threaded end of a standard kitchen or other faucet. Flow through the eyewash apparatus is enabled by a small pullout knob that would be difficult to operate, let alone locate, in an emergency. A similar arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,276 granted to the same inventor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,518 describes an eye and body wash fountain apparatus that can be quickly and easily attached to the water outlet nozzle of a standard faucet when the need arises for irrigating the eyes, face and body in case of an accident. However, this apparatus is not normally affixed to the faucet and this must be found and attached to the faucet before it will operate as an eyewash. It thus becomes somewhat impractical in an emergency.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,972 describes an eyewash apparatus permanently attached at the side of a sink and equipped with a pair of spray heads. This apparatus is adapted to initiate water delivery when the eyewash spray heads are swiveled laterally, or lowered vertically, from a stored position to an operative position over the sink.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,569 describes another eyewash, which is activated by swiveling the eyewash apparatus over a sink.
Common to all of these devices is the fact that the affected body part, including the eyes, must be delivered to the device and never vice versa; and in most of the above-mentioned devices, operation thereof requires location and movement of the device to render flow of water to the affected area of the body.
The related art also includes use of flexible tubing for conveying water from piping to fixtures such as hand held showers. Some examples of flexible tubing used for such purposes are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,823,441; 5,862,540; 5,926,868; 6,058,543; 6,151,728; and 6,315,620. Some of these patents disclose backflow preventers to prevent siphoning of water from the tub to the water supply. Eyewashes attached to flexible tubing have been sold by the assignee of this application, Speakman Company of Wilmington, Del. (Speakman Model Nos. SE920 and 927).
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is an eyewash janitorial service sink fitting system that is free of all of the above shortcomings.
In the environment of this invention, a service sink is typically located in a janitorial closet, for example, adjacent a bathroom. Cleaning personnel working in and around the sink are often exposed to caustic cleaning chemicals used in their work. The danger exists that such chemicals can splash into the face, eyes or body of cleaning personnel. Thus, the need arises for a device that can quickly treat, i.e., wash off, such chemicals. Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide an emergency washing device that can be readily adapted for use in existing and future janitorial closets having a service sink located therein.
This and other objects of the invention are achieved by arranging a washing apparatus on the end of a flexible hose so it can be grabbed by someone affected by exposure to caustic or hazardous substances. This enables one to instinctively draw the washing apparatus from its holder and towards oneself to douse the affected area of the body.
In a typical service sink area, the sink extends a good distance from the wall of the janitorial closet thereby increasing the difficulty of reaching a fixed washing apparatus located on or near the back wall of the closet. To overcome this problem, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the eye washing apparatus is mounted on a bracket that extends away from the wall toward the front of the service sink.
To insure consistent availability of water flow to the emergency-washing device, one end of the flexible tubing is attached to the stop cock on the faucet arranged over the service sink. A faucet preferred for use in this invention is a service sink faucet sold by the assignee of this application, Speakman Company of Wilmington, Del. as Model Number SC-5811. Stop cocks in the bottom of the faucet provide access to a cold water supply at all times, thereby providing an ideal arrangement for provision of water for emergency washing.
Preferably, the emergency washing apparatus of this invention is supplied with a vacuum breaker to prevent suction of contaminated water into the potable water system through the emergency washing apparatus. In a preferred mode of the invention, the washing unit, coupled to the cold water cock of the faucet of the service sink fitting, is a hand held dual head eyewash shower with a locking, squeezing handle. A single head eyewash unit is available as well, and could be used, but not as effectively.
Said hand held eyewash unit can be permanently mounted on a wall bracket above and alongside the service sink.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.